A brief introduction to machine-learning technology

Humans have always been scared of robots. A robot with a mind is a machine that people think could be capable of taking control of a spaceship, taking up residence in the White House or just generally causing the downfall of all mankind. So now, with the dawn of machine-learning technology, it’s almost surprising that people aren’t chucking their toasters out of the windows on the offchance that they might jump

Software is eating the world

In 2011, at a time when many companies thought that there weren’t too many tricks left up the internet’s sleeve, Marc Andreessen warned that we shouldn’t feel too settled. His article, “Why Software Is Eating The World” pre-dated software giants like UBER and Airbnb ripping the carpet from under the feet of established, more traditional, firms. The idea of software eating the world forces companies to adopt a completely different mindset which, to say the least, can prove to be a difficult transition.

Machine-learning technology is the next stage in the evolution of a completely software-driven world. It’s technology that can predict and respond to user intent, with startling accuracy. While not totally omniscient, but it is an incredibly sophisticated way of digesting, splicing, understanding and taking advantage of data.

How does machine-learning technology work?

Simply put, machine learning algorithms are placed within a program to collect data, find patterns in that data, segment it up and then make adjustments to the way that the program works. This is all done automatically, and without human supervision. This means that the algorithms are able to learn, autonomously, just by being activated.

The good people over at R3D3 have put together a really beautiful site that explains the finer details of machine learning technology in a far more visually appealing way than we’re able to here. Catch it right here.

Now Interact uses machine-learning algorithms to determine exactly why a customer is on your website before intuitively offering them the contact channel that best helps them to complete their sale, or answer their customer service query. Find out more about our solution here.